William Ruto steers clear of burning issues on jobs and insecurity

President William Ruto has reminded his opponents that he is in office to stay and challenged them to prepare for a gruelling political battle when the right time comes.

While addressing Kenyans during the 60th Labour Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi, Ruto insisted that elections will come and go, with those who will pass the exams administered by Kenyans getting another term and those who fail engaging in other activities.

The President said it was not the time to squabble about who will do what but to engage in measures to ensure food security, construct affordable housing for all and estbalish a working health sector for all citizens.

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“We cannot be prosperous if we do not make the right decisions. I owe it to Kenyans to make the right decisions even if they may not seem popular now. I am waiting for Kenyans to mark my exam in 2027. If I pass, well and good; if not, I will go home to do some farming,” said Ruto.

He said that had he not made the tough decision of reducing fuel and flour subsidies in 2022, the country could not be talking of being the sixth largest economy in Africa and promised to continue doing what it takes to make the country grow further.

The President said his administration is committed to reducing foreign debts, which now stand at Sh11 trillion.

Ruto said it was important to reduce the debt burden in the country by looking for an alternative approach to fund development projects.

He said that was the reason his government was partnering with investors in crucial projects that are aimed to improve the economy.

“I did not go to China to create more debts as it is being claimed but to look for strategic partnerships with investors for crucial projects to complete roads such as Rironi–Nakuru-Malaba,” said Ruto.

Partnerships

The President pointed out that the Expressway from the JKIA to Nairobi city centre was not done through loans but through a partnership with investors.

He also noted that the Standard Gauge Railway from Naivasha to the border of Kenya and Uganda will be done through a partnership with investors. 

Ruto steered clear of the job scams where the Ministry of Labour and the National Employment Authority have been implicated and over 300 Kenyans lost millions of shillings in nonexistent jobs in the Middle East.

He also steered clear of the killing of six people by police officers in a land tussle in Angata Barrakoi area in Narok County on Monday, involving over 6,000 acres of land over which he is featuring prominently as an interested party.

Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli urged citizens to show love for their country and called for regulation of social media in order to get rid of toxic information that might tear it apart.

“Kenyans should be aware that if this country goes to the dogs we have nowhere else to go. We should learn from what is happening in Sudan and Eastern DRC. That is why I am calling for social media regulation. Kenyans will one day remember this,” Atwoli said.